The second half of a major new examination of how J.R.R.Tolkien came to write his original masterpiece 'The Hobbit', including his complete unpublished draft version of the story, and many little-known illustrations and previously unpublished maps by Tolkien himself.
The History of the Hobbit presents for the first time, in two volumes, the complete unpublished text of the original manuscript of J.R.R.Tolkien's The Hobbit, accompanied by John Rateliff's lively and informative account of how the book came to be written and published. As well as recording the numerous changes made to the story both before and after publication, it examines - chapter-by-chapter - why those changes were made and how they reflect Tolkien's ever-growing concept of Middle-earth.
As well as reproducing the original version of one of literature's most famous stories, both on its own merits and as the foundation for The Lord of the Rings, this new book includes many little-known illustrations and previously unpublished maps for The Hobbit by Tolkien himself. Also featured are extensive annotations and commentaries on the date of composition, how Tolkien's professional and early mythological writings influenced the story, the imaginary geography he created, and how Tolkien came to revise the book years after publication to accommodate events in The Lord of the Rings.
This second volume picks up Bilbo Baggins' story half-way through his journey and chronicles how, after much adversity, he must still face the mighty dragon, Smaug, carry out the burglary for which he has been recruited, and return safely home to Bag-End. But not everything goes to plan...
- ISBN10 0007250665
- ISBN13 9780007250660
- Publish Date 18 June 2007 (first published 1 May 2007)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 6 January 2011
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
- Imprint HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 448
- Language English
- URL http://harpercollins.co.uk